Via Rail passenger train derails in Halifax

The Via Rail passenger train Ocean went off the tracks near the South Park Street overpass in Halifax on Sunday. (JOHN McPHEE)

A Via Rail passenger train derailed in Halifax on Sunday morning.

At noon on Sunday, the train could be seen spread across five tracks near the South Park Street overpass on Sunday morning. The cars were all connected but the back end of the train was on the far-right track while the engine car was on the far-left track.

The underside of the second passenger car appeared to be damaged on one side and the rail on which that part of the train rested was broken.

A Via Rail spokeswoman said she couldn’t confirm the apparent damage. No passengers were on board at the time and no crew members were injured, said Anna-Marie Marat in an email Sunday afternoon.

“Early this morning, three cars derailed in our maintenance centre yard in Halifax,” Marat said. “Train 15, which was scheduled to depart from Halifax at 13:00 hours today, has been cancelled. We are calling passengers to offer alternative transportation as well as a full refund or the possibility to change their reservation for a later date.”

The train was scheduled to depart at 1 p.m. for Montreal, which matched the schedule for Via’s Ocean line. Marat said 114 passengers had reserved seats with 32 of them were departing from Halifax.

“We are keeping them informed of any updates to the situation,” Marat said. “An investigation is ongoing.”

The Ocean stops in Truro and Amherst as well as in New Brunswick communities including Moncton, Miramichi and Bathurst and there are five stops in Quebec before arriving in Montreal.

Via Rail cut the Ocean schedule in half in 2012, dropping service to three days a week from six.

Last year, 78,763 travellers rode on the Ocean, a 1.5 per cent increase over 2016, according to Via Rail statistics.